<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0DBOa7_1Go5RNs200" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0DBOa7_1Go5RNs200" width="1920" height="1280" ><figcaption>Design by Bella Murillo</figcaption></figure>On Oct. 19, 2025, La Catedral Arena, a widely known horse racing venue in Wilder, was filled with dozens of families attending a horse racing event. Not long after the event started, Canyon County law enforcement officers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers surrounded the property. The original search warrant was issued for alleged illegal gambling and was intended to detain the track’s owner and four other individuals. By the end of the day, more than 400 people were detained and 105 were taken into custody.The Wilder raid has been discussed nationally, sparking a gust of lawsuits, political movements and protests demanding justice. One year later, just as the leaves are starting to change colors again, the wind has started picking up speed. Communities in Idaho have come together, demonstrating a level of strength that only stems from persecution. A march organized by SOMOS Idaho and the American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho (ACLU) commemorated the raid and the ongoing fight for justice. Participants marched from Ann Morison Park to the Idaho State Capital, demonstrating Idaho’s growing voice for change. Morrighan Nyx, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation and a security lead at the march, shared this perspective with The Arbiter. “It’s essential for us to show that organizing in defense of our immigrant neighbors is not something that is only happening in the big cities on the coast,” Nyx said. “Fight for a future where immigrant families are able to stay together and are able to feel safe and welcome in the community that they help build.”In February 2026, the ACLU of Idaho filed a class-action lawsuit, challenging the immigration raid in Wilder over allegations of inhumane conditions in which people were held for hours on end. The fight for justice in Idaho has never been more active than right now as organizations continue to hold our government accountable. ACLU Idaho’s legislative report for the 2026 session found a 30% increase in anti-immigration bills introduced since 2025. Anti-immigration laws and bills have swept through states across the country, including Texas, California, Florida — Idaho has been no different.In 2025, the Deportation Data Project recorded a 797% increase in ICE arrests in Idaho, with 368 arrests from January through June, compared with 41 arrests in 2024 during the same time period. The presence of immigration and customs enforcement in Idaho has become as normal as the leaves changing colors in the fall. In September, Gov. Brad Little announced plans involving Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), allowing authorized state and local officers to identify and process undocumented individuals held at correctional facilities. Inactivity and passivity can no longer be excused by the belief that the presence of immigration enforcement in Idaho has never been a concern. Our reality no longer allows for blissful ignorance. Members of the Martin Luther King Living Legacy Committee, a student-led organization working to bring equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice into Idaho, were also present at the march. “It goes deeper than surface level community, letting people know that people stand with them and are here to support them, ” Marliegh Nabonne, the organization’s committee chair, said. “What are we without groups of people rallying behind us?” Truly, this is a prevalent question in the minds of many Idahoans. Continuous persecution has made life for Latino business owners, advocates, organizations and families much harder in the past year through increased ICE arrests and anti-immigration laws. Esto es Idaho, a social media marketing agency that serves as a platform for Latino events and businesses, is one of many organizations focusing on these communities. Samantha Rodríguez, co-founder of Esto es Idaho, discussed how highlighting Latin American culture can help elevate the voices of those most in need following the Wilder raid.“If no one’s gonna do it, we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna have to. We’re essentially the voice for the latino community,” Rodríguez said. “Posting what events are going on, Latino-owned businesses, initiatives is something that we bring to the community.”As the political climate and conversation in Idaho continue to criminalize entire groups of people, a multitude of organizations have formed in response to this injustice. Individuals from all types of backgrounds showed up and demonstrated that Idaho is, and has always been, built on love, not hatred. Stephanie Cabrera, another co-founder of Esto es Idaho, made it clear that these conversations are more important now than ever.“People are scared, you know, and being able to build something that gives people a sense of pride about who they are and where they come from…is one of the reasons that potentially is why Esto Es Idaho has done so well,” Cabrera said. “It’s been something that’s even more needed today than say five years ago or 10 years ago.”Against this backdrop of continuous persecution, Idaho is seeing a level of love and care that demonstrates what it means to be an immigrant and what it truly means to be an Idahoan — to show up and fight for the individuals who make our communities function.</div></body>

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On Oct. 19, 2025, La Catedral Arena, a widely known horse racing venue in Wilder, was filled with dozens of families attending a horse racing event. Not long after the event started, Canyon County law enforcement officers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers surrounded the property.

One year after the Wilder Raid, immigrant voices get louder

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On Oct. 19, 2025, La Catedral Arena, a widely known horse racing venue in Wilder, was filled with dozens of families attending a horse racing event. Not lo

One year after the Wilder Raid, immigrant voices get louder

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